Purposeful Living

7 Powerful Bible Verses About Purpose in Life

Winter fog huddles over the earth like a guest arriving late to a party that has long since drawn to a close.  I’ve been feeling scattered and distracted by the needs surrounding me lately, and I open my Bible in search of Bible verses about purpose.

Perhaps you want to know what the Bible says about purpose, too.

Whether you’re searching for God’s purpose for your life or merely need fresh inspiration today, let these words remind you that your purpose is much simpler than you might imagine.  God is more concerned with how you live than where you work or how you earn a living.

These Bible verses about purpose remind us that we are called to love God and love others.  Meanwhile, God is more concerned about the attitudes of our hearts than anything else.

Let’s look at seven powerful Bible verses about purpose in life.

7 Bible Verses About Purpose in Life

No matter where this day finds you, your purpose in life can be explained in two succinct Bible verses about purpose.  We will look at these two foundational Bible verses about purpose, and then we will explore five additional verses that can help us follow God into our callings.

1. Mark 12:30

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (NASB)

First and foremost, you were created to love God with all of your being.  This is your primary purpose.

When God spoke the first person, Adam, into being, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit huddled together and decided, “Let us make man in our image.”

We were created from a relationship for relationships.

God’s character does not change with time.  He is still a relational God.  He still exists as a Triune God in a throne room where relationships are his greatest delight.

God created you to live in a relationship with him.  Like healthy marriages, all relationships deepen with time.  Is your relationship with God deepening, or have you reached a plateau?

If you are hungry to go deeper with God, ask him to help you encounter him afresh today.  Make it a priority to seek his face every day.  Read his written Word.  Talk to him throughout your day as you would talk to a friend.

God wants to speak into your life.  I also have a gift to help you respond today: My 10-day online devotional Fan the Flame.  This devotional offers dozens of practical ways to connect with God and hear what he wants to speak to you. Click here, and I will send this devotional directly to your email inbox.

2. Mark 12:31

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (NASB)

Second, you will find God’s purpose for your life by living in relationships with others.

God said that it was not good for Adam to be alone; therefore, he created a helper suitable for him.  God created Eve for companionship with Adam.  We are created for relationships with others.

Let’s not allow the familiarity of this truth to pass by us.  We embrace God’s purpose for our lives when we make relationships a priority. This week, some of us will cross paths with people who rub us the wrong way.  We’ll sit around tables, revisit childhood memories, and feel stretched in dozens of different directions.  All the while, God is calling us to invest in these relationships.

I used to believe the concept of iron sharpening iron always looked like believers united in heart, pouring over Scripture and encouraging one another.  More and more, I am learning that iron sharpening iron also looks like working through differences in our relationships.  This week, let’s be mindful to approach our relationships with soft hearts.

God uses these relationships to smooth our rough edges and mold us to his image.

Let’s aim to be kind when we want to snap.  Let’s pick our battles wisely.  And let’s slow down to relish the good moments.  You never know when you just might be gathered around the table.

5 More Bible Verses About Purpose

God’s purpose for your life will always involve loving him and loving others.  It will also include living by principles found in the following verses:

3. 1 Corinthians 6:19-120

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (ESV)

We are called to honor God with our bodies.  Remembering this helps us live within God’s boundaries and fulfill our purposes.

4. Matthew 28:19-20

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV)

We are called to follow Jesus and then make followers wherever we go, even to the ends of the earth.

5. Ephesians 2:10

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (ESV)

We were each created to do good works, which God prepared for us.  Are you using your God-given gifts and talents to help others?  If so, you are fulfilling part of the good works God planned for you.

6. Psalm 37:5

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” (ESV)

We are all called to commit our lives to the Lord.  When we do so, he will direct our steps.

7. Exodus 9:16

“But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” (ESV)

We are to proclaim God’s name to all the earth.  We are to point others to him and share his love.

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In conclusion, remember that God is most concerned that you live a life of loving him and loving others.  He wants you to use your natural talents and giftings to help and serve others.  Live in these ways, and you will live within your purpose.

God is most concerned that you live a life of loving him and loving others. He wants you to use your natural talents and giftings to help and serve others. #purpose #calling Click To Tweet

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I’m passionate about equipping others to encounter God in powerful and life-changing ways. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me hiking, jogging, exploring wild places with my three young children and husband, leading small groups, and mentoring younger women. A certified special education teacher, I am on leave from the classroom for a season of chasing frogs and playing in creeks with my little ones. Most of all, the compassionate love of Jesus has forever ravished my heart, and I'm emphatic about making his love known to the world.